Because it is the most highly advanced level that an Emergency Medical Technician can achieve, Paramedic training is difficult, challenging, but above all, rewarding. A Paramedic must be quick-minded, physically fit, agile, and have the ability to remain calm in stressful situations. If you can meet these rigorous standards, you too may have an exciting career in the emergency medicine industry.

To obtain a Paramedic license means you have already successfully completed the EMT and Advanced EMT certifications. Paramedic training will take all those life-saving techniques one step further, challenging your mind as well as your body. You will be required to learn every aspect of highly advanced medical equipment. This equipment will be in the ambulance, and you must be able to use these machines on a patient while the vehicle is in motion. This can be extremely challenging. During Paramedic training, you will be instructed how to administer fluids via a patient’s veins; and you will be taught how to open a person’s airway using tubular devices – all while in a moving vehicle.

In order to qualify for Paramedic training, you must have successfully completed EMT and Advanced EMT classes, training, examinations, and certification. Most Paramedic training programs last for 2 years. Depending on which state you live in – or want to become certified in – you should be able to enter into Paramedic training at a vocational school, community college, or a hospital. Some states require an Associate’s degree in order to become a Paramedic. All training programs will provide you with on-the-job experience, as well as extensive classroom work. Once Paramedic training is completed, you will be required to take not only a practical exam, but also a physical exam to test your abilities and gauge your potential success as someone who will have the lives of others in his or her hands.

Paramedic training costs vary by state. Some states offer comprehensive programs that are quite affordable, while other states charge a few thousand dollars to enter their training program. Class and training schedules also vary, offering night and weekend classes to accommodate you in the case you have a primary job while in training. Paramedic training is difficult, but entirely worth it for the right person.